Horizontal banner construction



Nov. 3, 1970 a. L. HUEY ETAL- 3,537,201

I HORIZONTAL BANNER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov; 7, 1968 j 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- '6 lo a d ned)" A [LU N E 171.972 I 6 Lmgsmons me and FM 8: M

ATTORNEYS Nov. 3,1970 I L/HUEY O H 3,537,201

HORIZONTAL BANNER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 7, 1968 ZYSheetS-Sheej. a

elm/kw ATTORNEYS United Patent Oflice Patented Nov. 3, 1970 3,537,201 HORIZONTAL BANNER CONSTRUCTION Guy L. Huey and Thomas Friedrichsen, Massillon, Ohio,

assignors to The Massillon-Cleveland-Akron Sign Company, Massillon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 744,094 Int. Cl. G09f 7/18 US. Cl. 40-128 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A display sign is mounted extending horizontally between two goals at the pump island of a gas station. Upper and lower support members are adjustably mounted on the poles and a flexible sign banner is removably mounted on and extends between the support members centrally of the poles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Description of the prior art It has been diflicult in prior sign structures to securely mount a flexible sign banner between poles at a gas station pump island. Available space is limited where a canopy is mounted at the tops of and extends between the poles. Usually a rigid rectangular frame is provided for the flexible sign material and the frame in turn is supported on the poles. Alternately, the sign banner has ropes extending from each of its four corners which are tied to the poles. Such frame or rope mounting means detract from the advertising appeal intended to be created by the display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing a permanent pump island display fixture which extends between and is mounted on two spaced poles adjustably to accommodate different pole spacings; providing a fixture which removably mounts a flexible horizontal display banner centrally between the poles securely in flxed display position, but which permits ready replacement of the banner to change the advertising message; and providing a display fixture and banner construction which avoids prior difiiculties, avoids the unsightly appearance of prior structures, achieves the objectives simply, effectively and inexpensively, and solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.

These objectives and advantages are obtained by the display sign fixture and banner construction, the general nature of which may be stated as including a horizontally elongated display banner sheet of flexible fabric or plastic material on which a sign appears, the sheet having top and bottom edge portions, flexible thickening means secured to the sheet at and along the top and bottom edge portions; spaced upper and lower support members adapted to be mounted to extend between two poles on the pump island of an auto service station where the distance between poles may vary at different stations, said support members comprising extensible channel-shaped telescoped central and end sections, pole brackets mounted on the poles, bolts engaged with the polev brackets and with the support member channel end sections securing said end sections to the poles, and bolts engaged between telescoped portions of the central and end sections clamping the central sections in fixed position; channel-shaped gripper members mounted on the support member central sections extending longitudinally thereof and forming keyhole-shaped passages; and said thickened top and bottom edge portions of the banner sheet being laterally removably telescoped into and engaged in said key-holeshaped passages to support the banner sheet on and extending between the support member central sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention--illustrative of the best mode in which applicants have contemplated applying the principlesis set the forth in the following description and shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved horizontal display sign fixture and banner construction;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of FIG. 1 looking toward the rear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an upper right-hand corner portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section looking in the direction of the arrows 44, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 5--5, FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6, FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 77, FIG. 6.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved display sign fixture and banner construction generally indicated at 1 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 mounted on two poles 2 and 3 located at the pump island 4 of a gasoline service station where pumps 5 and other equipment also are located. The poles 2 and 3 may support a canopy or light fixture 6 mounted on and extending between the top ends of the poles. Where the canopy comprises a light fixture, the light advantageously may be used to illuminate point-of-purchase advertising material mounted on the poles, and located below the fixture 6 in the confined space between the fixture 6 and pumps 5 and other equipment located on the island 4. The space that may be occupied by advertising banners below fixture 6 is restricted so as not to obscure visibility around the pump island at normal eyelevel orfrom autos located ator moving past the pump island.

The improved sign construction includes a banner sheet, member or component generally indicated at 7. and spaced upper and lower support members generally indicated at 8 and 9.

Banner sheet 7 preferably is formed of flexible fabric, drill, canvas, polypropylene plastic or flexible cardboard on which a sign or advertising material may be printed, painted, orotherwise applied. Each top and bottom edge portion 10 and 11 of banner sheet 7 is formed with a hem 12 in which arope 13 may be stitched at 14 (E16. to provide flexible thickening means secured to the sheet at and along the top and bottom edge portions and 11.

The upper and lower support members 8 and 9 each comprise extensible, channel-shaped, telescoped central sections 15 and end sections 16.

A typical pole bracket 17 is mounted on each pole 2 or 3 by a usual polestrap 18 at the location Where each support member end section 16 is to be mounted on the pole. Bolts 19 engage the pole brackets 17 and extend through the support member channel end sections 16 to rigidly secure end sections 16 on brackets 17 and thus on the pole 2 or 3. Bolts 19 may be typical bolts having squared shank portions 20 (FIG. 6) engaged in slots 21 betweenflanges of the channel-shaped end sections 16.

The support member central sections 15 are telescoped over the free' inner ends of end sections 16 opposite the ends mounted on brackets 17 (FIGS. 3 and 5) so that the central sections 15 may be located centrally between poles 2 and 3 regardless of the spacing between the poles 2 and 3 or of the varying spacing between such poles due to construction variations from gas station to gas station. Thus, the improved structure permits a banner fixture construction to be supplied for an advertising campaign to a large number of gas stations and the fixture permanently mounted on spaced pole at the gas stations irrespective of variations in construction of equipment located at the station pump islands.

The centrally locatedsupport member central sections 15 are held in fixedposition by bolts 22 engaged with telescoped channel sections 15 and 16 as well shown in FIG. 5. Thus, support members 8 and 9, when their component sections 15 and 16 are telescoped, mounted and bolted together, provide rigid members on which the banner sheet 7 may be mounted.

Each central channel sections 15 (FIG. 5)is provided with a gripper member 23 also generally channel-shaped in cross section. Member 23 extends longitudinally of section 15 and its channel-shaped cross section forms a keyhole-shaped passage indicated at 24. The upper and lower thickened edge portions 13 of banner sheet 7 may be laterally removably telescoped into and engaged in said key-hole-shaped passages 24 as well shown in FIGS. 4

1 and 5.

When banner sheet 7 is assembled as described with the upper and lower support members 8 and 9, banner sheet The banner sheet 7 after assembly with the support members 8 and 9 as described may be retained against accidental disengagement from the tendency to relative movement between the banner 7 and support members 8 and 9 due to Wind action, by engaging one or more cotter pins 25 with the flanges of gripper member 23 extending through banner sheet 7 (FIGS. 3 and 5).

Thus, when changes in the sign displayed are to be made in order to present a new or different advertising message,

t e ot r p n 5. I mQ .d ..1? .n Y he is moved laterally from its connection with the gripper members 23, and a new banner sheet is assembled. This change may be accomplished quickly.

The fixture portions of the improved construction may be quickly installed without special tools or hardware by any person merely by engaging and mounting the pole straps 18 and brackets 17 on poles 2 and 3 in a usual manner and by bolting the upper and lower support members 8 and 9 together and to the pole brackets 17.

The improved construction is very simple; it provides for removable but secure mounting of a horizontal display banner centrally between poles; it provides for ready change of the banner; it provides a fixture and-banner construction eliminating unsightly appearances of prior structures and avoiding prior difliculties; and. it provides a construction which achieves the objectives stated and solves existing problemsjin the art.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. t

Moreover, the description and illustration of themvention is by way-of example, andthescope of the'invention is not limited to a banner formed of a particular fabric or to the exact shapes of the telescoped support members shown. 6

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved banner construction is assembled and used, the characteristics of the new construction, and the advantageous, new and useful resultsobtained, the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in-the appended claims. 1

We claim: v 1 t 1. Horizontal display banner construction includingv a horizontally elongated display banner sheet of flexible material for receiving a sign message, the sheet having top and bottom edge portions, flexible thickening meanssecured to the sheet at and along the top and bottom edge portions; spaced upper and lower support members adapted to be mounted to extend between two poles, each support member including extensible channel-shaped telescoped central and end sections, a pole bracket for each end section adapted to be mounted on a pole, bolts engaged between a pole bracket and its corresponding end section securing said bracket and end section together, and bolts adjustably engaged between telescoped portions of the central and endsections of each support member clamping said central and .end sections together in fixed position; a channel-shaped gripper member mounted on and extending longitudinally of each support member central section, the channel shape of the gripper member forming a key-hole-shaped passage open at the narrow portion of the key-hole, and the thickenedtop and bottom edge portions of the banner sheet being laterally removably telescoped into and engaged in said key-holeshaped passages of the upper and lower support member central sections to support said sheet on 'andextending between said central sections. i r

2 The construction defined in claim 1 in which the support member channel 'shaped end sections have internal flanges forming alongitudinally extending slot, andin which said bolts engage said flanges and extend through said slot. g

3. The construction defined in claim 2in which the bolts have square shank portions engaged in said slot.

4. The construction definedin claim 2 inwhich the bolts engaged between telescoped portions of the central and end sections have heads, and in which the bolt heads are located within. the channel-shapedend sections and extend through said slot and through the central section to clamp said sections together in fixed position.

5. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the central section of each support member is telescoped over the ends of two end sections.

6. The construction defined in claim 1 in which each support member channel-shaped central section has top and bottom flanges telescoped over the ends of two end sections, and in which the channel-shaped gripper mem- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner ber is formed integrally of one of the central section 10 W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

